


Hidden Bonds

by ArcanicSoul



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, F/F, Non magic AU, but all the angst too??, hopelessly in love croix, innuendos, my heart feels like it's being torn apart, slooooooow burn, wary chariot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 01:43:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15570975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcanicSoul/pseuds/ArcanicSoul
Summary: If Croix had to pinpoint the point where her life spiraled out of control, she would have to say it was around the time she may or may not signed up for a dating site.





	Hidden Bonds

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to kaiyamon once more (really I would be lost without her whew) and let's read exactly how Croix's life spirals out of control as she so delicately puts it.

Croix leaned back into her chair with a sigh, pushing back up the glasses that were sliding off her nose bridge. She had just finished writing up the last email for the day. Or for the night. The lilac-haired woman hadn't notice the sun disappearing, her lights automatically turning on when the darkness started seeping through.

Taking off her glasses, she set them aside, rubbing her eyes before stretching out her limbs. ‘Maybe I should start working on the bed. A lot comfier and there would more space than this desk,’ Croix thought to herself, cleaning up her workstation, making sure her work supplies were in order. Her hands moved around, organizing the items while her mind drifted, a habit that had emerged from her chaotic college days. It was as if she was trying to ignore the wrongs she did, covering it up with an orderly pretense.

Once that was taken care of, she went to collapse on her bed, head tilted slightly to view the luminescent clock on the nightstand.

2:23 A.M. 

Rather than dwelling upon the current time, she buried her head into the pillow, letting out a groan. Thank goodness it was a Saturday otherwise she would have been far too tired to head to office the following morning.

Still, even in her exhausted mindset, she mused to herself that her workload was getting bigger and bigger as the days rolled by. Even during mid-January, the workload felt heavier than usual. Normally this was something she would have investigated earlier, rarely leaving anything to chance. Then again, this was something that could wait to be inspected another day, too tired in the meantime to properly care.

Tucking herself in the blanket, she fell asleep but not before having a fleeting thought: ‘I wish there was someone next to me.’

~~

Another day, another coffee. 

This was how the CEO of Tech Corp. worked, lounging in her office chair as she sipped her espresso coffee, the other hand typing furiously on her computer as the clock in the corner of her computer read 3:15. She sipped her coffee once more, the corner of her lips curled down in a light frown. Usually, the aroma and the taste of her usual blend of coffee was enough to relax her from the stress of her duties. This time though, was a bit different.

When she has made her usual rounds earlier that morning, everything seemed to be calm, in order, the way she liked it. Well exactly, that was a bit of a lie. As an engineer who had upgraded the current use of smartphones to a level no other could match, she appreciated a bit of chaos. It was nostalgic really, thinking back to those days where her workspace was cluttered with wires, tools and countless notes ranging from mathematical estimates to development ideas. That habit had waned over time, the woman preferring organization now.

This morning, however, felt a bit  _ too  _ calm.

Exchanges of “Hello" and “Good morning" filled the air as she passed by, flashing that suave smirk of hers. Thank goodness she had opted for contacts this morning, her gelled back hair and lack of glasses amplifying the attraction of her sophisticated smirk. As predicted, the females blushed and got flustered as the sight while the males. . well she didn't care much for their reactions to begin with. She did only swing in one particular way after all. To this day, she wasn’t quite sure what about females drove her crazy. Was it their curves, their looks, their tendency to play “hard to get”?

Whatever it was, she wasn’t complaining. After all, some of her best nights was rolling around in the sheets with them.

Fixing up her collar, she headed for the elevator, pushing the button as her eyes wandered to the bulletin board nearby. 

Within that moment, she instantly understood the calm atmosphere back in the office. At first glance, things were in smooth, working order, barely a hair out of place. But with the new intel she had uncovered, she realized that the atmosphere wasn't calm but rather, excitement combined with anxiety and even a hint of desperation on the side.

Valentine’s Day was approaching and as the current date was February 4th, that day would approach quickly.

That lead Croix to her current position: frustration. What was so special about Valentine’s Day? What was so amazing about that date that people threw aside everything they had for that one special person? And most of all, why gift a fellow lover with chocolates and flowers while spending the majority of the day running around like an idiot when there were much better and more affordable presents and ways to spend one’s day such as a candlelit dinner or a stargazing picnic date? 

Or a plushie.

A plushie could work too.

But that was besides the point! The truth was, once upon a time, Croix had believed in this holiday. Believed in the romance involved and the secret kisses and touches shared between a couple. Now though, now it felt like a lie. 

Or did she make it seem like it was? Who knows really? She had left that part of her past years ago and there was no use in dwelling on it today. 

With another angry gulp of her coffee, she set her cup down, leaning back into her chair, head tilted back as she gazed up at the ceiling. Huh, those tiles probably need changing. She never quite realized how many holes were there.

She unconsciously thought to herself, ‘I wonder if there are holes in me too.’

~~

Today’s date was February 10th, indicating how close that certain holiday was. Really, it should have been simple to ignore the signs of Valentine’s Day coming up. The pink decorations and heart candies and chocolates on sale at practically every store? Just stock up on ramen for weeks and not leave her household. Flyers put up everywhere that shouted “Have flowers 50% off, limited time deal!” Look away, pretend they don’t exist. 

Even online sites were starting to join in on the festivities, offering up a fake partner deal in case you’re lonely and need company and the whole “Did you forget Valentine’s Day was coming up? If so, join us now and receive a pre-packaged heartfelt gift for your partner today! $59.99 for shipping costs!” That last part made her snort in amusement because who would be so desperate to pay $60 for a last-minute scramble?

A lot of that didn’t sound pleasing to her and she did her best to avoid those sorts of advertisements. It didn’t help that some of them, especially when she was online casually watching cat videos, liked to jump at her out of nowhere. 

The parts she couldn’t ignore though, even if she tried which she has multiple times, was the buzzing atmosphere of her office. Some fidgeted in their seats, anxious about their upcoming confession and the result of that. Others were browsing the internet for potential date ideas. There were few, very few, who was relaxed and minded their own business, sipping their coffee as if this was another regular normal day to be living in.

She sat in her office pretty much the whole day, tuning out the rest of the world. The world wouldn’t halt merely because of her unhappiness. And so she worked, filling out forms, double-checking what is to be released and writing up even more emails. After a while, she sighed with exasperation, too irritated with the upcoming festivity. 

Deciding that her grumbleness with the holiday wouldn’t do her any good, she decided to lay down on her couch, hands tucked behind her head. She stared at the ceiling wondering why she was so bitter this time. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t gone through Valentine’s Day alone before. With that thought, a memory jumped to the front of her mind. She had celebrated it once, just that one time. Croix chuckled at how embarrassing she was back then, tripping over her own feet while trying to impress her then beloved. A confession was accepted that day, something that still made her tear up in disbelief even to this day.

Shifting to her side, she curled up, rubbing her face, thankful that her glasses wouldn’t serve as an obstacle as she wiped away those tears. She tended to wear her contacts for work days, preferring a more professional at her work place.

She thought back once again to that memory, also remembering it as the anniversary of when they got together. She could recall that soft but wide smile on her face, holding the lilies close to her chest as she brought Croix in for a kiss. She could feel her heart lurch, reminiscing the blush and the butterflies that had come soon after that kiss.

Blinking once, she let a tear fall across her face, knowing very well she was the end to that once mirthful relationship.

~~

At this point, even Croix had to admit that this was sad, plain and simple. Sitting on her bed, sipping wine, watching a random Netflix show she put on earlier and dressed in casual gray sweatpants and in an even more casual dark blue shirt, this was the definition of melancholy.

Valentine’s Day had come and Croix was a kind enough employer to give her company the day off, granting them a three-day weekend. It gave others time to enjoy the weekend with their loved ones while the unlucky ones could cry and eat their sorrows away. 

For once, Croix felt like the latter. 

With her company no longer at the edge of bankruptcy and with the business doing better than ever, there hadn’t been much to do as of late. Sure the workload got heavier but by now, it become automatic as of late for her to fill out forms that demanded her attention and to overall check to see the company was running smoothly. After doing this for about two years, it wasn’t difficult for her mind to wander elsewhere nowadays. And with the holiday looming its ugly head over her, her mind wandered back to that Valentine memory.

_ “Anything you need, I’ll do it.” _

_ “What if I need you?” _

_ “I’ll be there for you then.” _

She ran a hand through her hair, brushing her bangs back, glasses set aside on her nightstand. Ever since the end of that relationship, with each passing Valentine’s day and with each passing year, she had pushed what had happened to the back of her head, focusing on more important matters. Her company for one, ensuring she lived affordably for another. 

‘Besides,’ she thought bitterly to herself, leaning back into the pillows, ‘It’s not like I can turn back time even if I want to.’ Did she regret what had happened? No.

Or was that too a lie?

A lie just like how she pretended she enjoyed her alone time but really it was far from that. With her company and her life more settled down, every now and then she wished for companionship. Someone to fill that empty side of her bed, someone to welcome her home, someone to love. 

It was ironic, to long for such warmth when she had it back in those college days. Those precious far-off college days, days she could never turn back the clock to. 

_ “What if I need you always?” _

_ “Then I’ll always be there.” _

Her eyes blinked back tears at that memory, head cradled in her hand as she recalled that she all but broke that promise. Ignoring those tainted memories, she poured herself another glass of wine, wondering why Valentine’s Day was affecting her in such a manner. ‘I should really stop lying to myself,’ Croix took a sip, knowing very well why from the very start.  The date was shoving in her face how alone she was. In the past, she always made fun of the people grieving on Valentine’s Day, calling them desperate but now, in that exact same position, she could only feel yearning, a pure want for intimacy. 

As someone who’s made it into the news globally, it was hard to find a long-term relationship. Minus the gold diggers, Croix wasn’t too fond of the paparazzi, stalking her every move. The only piece of gossip they even remotely got on her was that she swung for women but that was hardly news. As one who preferred the peace and quiet she had now, she couldn’t just waltz out onto the street and pick up the first lady she sees. Well, hypothetically she could but that wouldn’t do well for her public image.

The main problem was though, things had become  _ too  _ calm and peaceful for her. Or rather, with her business life settling down, the memories of that one and only relationship began to hit her all at once. She needed a distraction. A distraction from that beautiful smile, those sweet kisses, that delicate promise, those tender touches. 

Croix jerked up at those thoughts, nearly spilling the wine all over herself, her head shaking frantically. No this wouldn’t do, she needed a distraction. As if answering her prayers, an answer jumped to the front of her mind, remembering how her workers were murmuring about this matching dating site called SoulMate. 

Surely that sort of thing was worth a try right? An ideal way to meet a potential partner under an alias with the added bonus of being a distraction. 

Grabbing her laptop, signing in, she hesitated for a moment, staring at her screen. SoulMate, screaming at her with its bold red letters and heart designs, was this something worth doing? Something worth the effort?

Croix decided to finish up her wine, liquid courage and all that before signing in, deciding to use the name Corvus Matrix for her alias. She didn't expect too much from the site but it was better than moping around and doing nothing. The format seemed simple enough. The site asked questions and there were boxes to check as an answer. For example, if asked favorite color, all the main colors would be listed and she check off the ones that suited her taste. Thank goodness this website wasn’t restricting with its choices.

The questions started off as basic: how old she was, favorite food, favorite music, favorite movies... how many favorites did she have to put down? That bit annoyed her, never really seeing as favorites to define a person, unless those favorites tended to lean more towards the weird tastes.

Next were a set of questions more about her habits. Did she smoke? Never. Did she drink? Rarely and if she had to, only for business gatherings. Was her typical clothing wear? Hm. . As much as she wanted to check suits, that might blow her alias so she opted for casual wear. Then again, anything that wasn't a suit was pretty casual. How often do you have close friends over? That had to be marked as rarely, Croix never really having visitors that suited that category. Do you play video games? Sure, why not. As one who had to keep up to date with modern technology, it was more or less crucial to her career.

Her emerald eyes shifted to the next question, not really expecting much.

How many relationships have you been in?

Her hand froze, her eyes staring at the answer that said 1. Had it really been only one? Her mind scrambled to understand how ever since the end of that relationship, she had yet to commit herself to another one, even nearly six years later. Suddenly, she felt a sense of nostalgia hit her, realizing how even now, she still clung to the starry-eyed memories.

Sighing, she decided to be honest, choosing 1 and moved onto the next question, raising an eyebrow. Now these questions were getting personal, wanting to more about how she was in bed. She chose the Prefer Not to Answer answer, ignoring the warmth of her cheeks.

She was a grown woman who knew her preference  _ very well  _ at this point. Even then, sudden questions like those even caught someone like her off guard.

Continuing to fill out what felt like to be a quiz, the next set of questions appeared to be asking about her traits and what defined her as a person. Was it good looks? Her mannerisms? What qualities did she possess?

This part she was more honest about, wanting her future “soulmate” to know how she is at the very least. Well, if these answers would be made known to that other person which hopefully not.

Maybe she should have read that Terms and Conditions before starting this quiz. 

More questions? Whoever made this quiz apparently wanted to be sure to get accurate results. Croix wasn’t complaining about that last part, knowing there were always multiple factors to get where she wanted. 

Squinting at the screen, she was then asked what she was looking in a future partner. Humor? Romance? Honesty? Devotion? Intelligent? 

This part went by quickly, Croix checking off pretty much every option that appealed to her. More like every option that reminded me of her past lover.

After what felt like forever, she managed to reach what appeared to be the last series of questions. She felt her breath hitch when she read the first part.

Why are you on this website?

There were a lot of options for this answer. Ready to mingle, wanting to try out new things, having fun, looking for “fun", get over heartbreak quicker, etc. Unironically, for this question, she could only choose one option.

That would have been fine if it wasn’t for that one option that struck out to her the most: Feeling Lonely. She bit at her lower lip, debating on whether to choose that option or not. No doubt choosing that option would give her a more suitable partner for her needs but at the same time, it would be admitting to herself that she was indeed feeling lonely, desiring for a significant other. 

Then again, that is why she was here to begin with right? 

With her mind made up, she chose that option, quickly scrolling past the rest of the questions. They were fairly basic, asking why she felt lonely, wondering what else she was looking on this website, any questions or concerns. A nice way to wrap up the questioning, she mused, clicking on the View Results button.

Almost instantly, the site spat out a name at her, the name italicized in the middle of the computer screen.

_ Ursula Callistis. _


End file.
